Tessa Ransford OBE, Hon.DUniv (Paisley), MA, Dip Ed
Poetry Practitioner and Adviser
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  Incantation 2000
(for George Wyllie's millennium stone inauguration 31st December 2000)

Navel stone of Caledon
marker of millennium
eye of seer, druid's tongue,
word of carlin, - stand upon
this footprint made for everyone.

As pebble cast into a pool
sends ripple upon ripple
so this sacred stone will tell,
bear witness, fair or fell,
to our truth and principle.

Once as chiefs stood on Dunadd
our land and loyalty they bled,
our corn, our cattle and our gold -
whoso worked with hand or head:
crofter, hunter - Somerled.

Now we forward step once more
reclaiming those who walked before:
builder, makar, engineer,
doctor, printer, traveller,
lad o'pairts and balladeer.

A step for Scotland carved in stone
a parliament without a throne
a country each of us can own
a wisdom, knowing as we are known,
a going forth and coming home.

Who among us now will work
for light that penetrates the dark
for freedom climbing like the lark
for the democratic spark -
whose the tread that fits this mark?

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